Search intent: query types and how to match them to a page type

What search intent is

Intent vs. keyword: why the same words can mean different tasks

A keyword is the words a person types into search. Intent is the task behind those words. The two are easy to confuse, but decisions about a page should be based on the task, not the words.

Google gives an example like this: if a query contains words such as «cooking» or «pictures,» its systems infer that recipes or images are probably the better match. A single word doesn’t change the topic — it changes the format of answer the person expects.

An illustrative example: for the query «router setup,» one person wants a step-by-step guide, another wants a technician who will come and set it up. The words are the same, the tasks are different. The search results will show which task dominates.

The opposite also happens: different phrasings can mean the same task. In Google’s rater guidelines, the query without question words [barack obama height] and the question [how tall is barack obama] are described as queries with the same intent.

Ambiguous queries, and intent that shifts over time

Many queries have more than one meaning. The rater guidelines use [apple] as an example: it could mean the company or the fruit. Possible interpretations there are split into dominant (what most people mean), common, and minor; not every query has a dominant interpretation.

A query’s meaning can change over time. The guidelines suggest assuming a person wants current information — the latest model of a product, the latest instance of a recurring event — unless the query says otherwise. The same guide uses [iphone] as an example: in 2007 that query meant the first model, today it means the latest or the upcoming one. In its description of ranking, Google writes that for queries about current news, content freshness matters more than for queries about dictionary definitions.

The practical takeaway: intent isn’t determined once and for all. For important queries, it’s worth rechecking the search results periodically.

Types of search queries by intent

There’s no single official classification. Below are two frameworks: the one commonly used in Russian-language marketing, and the categories from Google’s rater guidelines.

Five types: informational, navigational, commercial, transactional, mixed

A Yandex Advertising article on search intent describes five types:

• Informational — the person is still learning about the topic or looking for a way to solve a task.
• Navigational — the person already knows the site, company or service they need.
• Commercial — the person has identified a need and is choosing a suitable solution.
• Transactional — the decision is essentially made, and only the target action is left.
• Mixed — the search engine shows different types of results for the same query at once: informational material, commercial pages, product listings.

Type	What the person wants	Example query
Informational	Understand the topic, find a way to solve it	«how to lay laminate flooring»
Navigational	Reach a known site or service	«yandex webmaster login»
Commercial	Compare options and choose	«which laminate to choose for a kitchen»
Transactional	Buy, order, download	«buy class 33 laminate with delivery»
Mixed	Different people have different tasks	«class 33 laminate»

These example queries are ours, for illustration. Check a specific query’s intent in your own region against the search results: that same «class 33 laminate» query might turn out to be almost entirely commercial.

How Google describes intent: Know, Do, Website, Visit-in-Person

The rater guidelines (Search Quality Rater Guidelines) are Google’s document for human raters who evaluate the quality of search results. Google states that their ratings don’t directly influence how a page or site is shown in search; they help measure how well Google’s systems are performing. So the categories below are a way of thinking about queries, not a description of the ranking algorithm.

The guidelines describe four categories and suggest treating a query as having one or more of these intents:

• Know — to find information or learn about a topic. A special case is Know Simple: the person needs a very specific answer, such as a fact, that is correct and complete and fits in one or two sentences or a short list. Most queries don’t qualify as Know Simple: broad, debatable queries with no single right answer, or queries seeking ideas or opinions.
• Do — to achieve a goal or perform an action: download, buy, obtain, watch something for entertainment, or interact with a site or app. The guidelines note that the line between Do and Know is sometimes blurry and advise against drawing it too strictly.
• Website — to find the specific site or page the person has in mind. This also includes queries in the form of a site address — even an inexact one that doesn’t actually open.
• Visit-in-Person — to find a place to go to: a café, a gas station, a nearby ATM. Some queries allow for both readings: one person wants the nearest store, another wants that store’s website. The user’s location can change how a query is understood.
• Multiple intents — many queries have more than one plausible intent. The guidelines advise leaning toward treating interpretations as reasonable rather than dismissing them. An example is [walmart]: finding a nearby store, opening the site to shop, or reading news about the company.

«Informational, commercial, transactional, navigational» — an industry convention, not a standard

The four- or five-type scheme is a working convention among marketers and SEO specialists, not a search engine standard. The Yandex Advertising article is educational content, not a ranking rule; we didn’t find this classification in the Yandex Webmaster help. Google has its own scheme, and it’s written for raters.

It’s useful to keep the two schemes side by side. The table below is our own interpretation, not a mapping endorsed by Google or Yandex.

Market scheme and the Yandex Advertising article	Category in Google’s guidelines (rough match)
Informational	Know; a short factual question — Know Simple
Navigational	Website
Commercial	Know or Do — depends on whether the person is still studying options or already acting
Transactional	Do
No separate type; usually falls under commercial or navigational	Visit-in-Person
Mixed	Queries with multiple intents

For a decision about a page, what matters is not the name of the type but what the person should get on the page and what the search results show.

How to read intent from the search results

The search results page (SERP) is the page of results a search engine returns for a query. The Yandex Advertising article calls it the main source of information about intent. Intent isn’t determined from a single phrasing but for a group of closely related queries that one page could answer. A separate article covers how to group related queries together; this one is about reading the search results for a group you’ve already put together.

What’s ranking: articles, catalog pages, product pages, service pages, brand sites

The main signal is the type of pages ranking, not the domains. A large store might rank with an article from its own blog, and a media site might rank with a product roundup. Look at what actually opens behind the link.

Page types differ in how they’re built:

• an article or guide — a question-style heading, a table of contents, a step-by-step explanation, no price or cart;
• a roundup or comparison — several options with pros and cons, comparison tables;
• a catalog category — a list of products with filters and sorting;
• a product page — one product, a price, a buy button, specifications;
• a service page — a description of the work, stages, a request form or contact details;
• a homepage or brand page — the official site of the company or service named in the query.

The Yandex Advertising article says that if one page format dominates the top results, this can be a sign that it better matches user expectations. If the formats are mixed, see the section on mixed intent below.

SERP features: quick answers, maps, products, video, ads

Besides regular links, search results can include special blocks: a quick answer, a map with local listings, products with prices, video, images, ads. In Yandex’s results these blocks are often called «kolduns» (SERP features). In its description of ranking, Google gives two examples: for words like «pictures» its systems may show images, and for the query «pizza» it may show nearby places with delivery, because many queries have local intent.

How we read these blocks is a working observation, not a description of how search actually works under the hood:

• A quick answer or dictionary definition — the query likely has a short answer. Give the definition near the top of the page; a separate page for a single fact might be unnecessary.
• A map with local listings — the query has a local component. You need a page with an address, a map, and business hours, not just an article.
• Products with prices — some people are ready to choose or buy. An informational article will only cover part of the demand.
• Video — some people want to watch rather than read. That’s a reason to add a video or a diagram, not necessarily to build a separate page.
• Ads — a weak signal. Base your decision on the organic results.

When Yandex and Google show different results

The two search engines’ results for the same query can differ. Look at the results of the engine you expect most of your visitors from. If the gap is significant, go with the priority engine and don’t build two pages for one task, one for each engine. This is our recommendation, not a rule from Yandex or Google.

How to read intent from the search results, step by step:

1. Open search in incognito mode and select the region you’re building the page for. Google’s rater guidelines note that people in different regions and countries can have different expectations for the same query.
2. Enter two or three phrasings from the group — a short one, a more specific one, and a question.
3. Open the top-ranking pages and note their type: article, roundup, category, product page, service page, homepage.
4. Note the SERP features: quick answer, map, products, video.
5. Identify the dominant format. If the formats are mixed, move on to the next section.
6. Sum up the conclusion in one line: «intent is X, the page needed is Y.»

Mixed intent: what to do when the results show different page types

Signs of mixed results, and queries with multiple intents

The Yandex Advertising article describes mixed intent like this: for some queries, the search engine shows informational material, commercial pages, and product listings at the same time. In such cases one classification isn’t enough — you need to see which type of result dominates for the specific query.

In practice, the signs are: articles and catalog pages mixed together in the top results, a product block sitting next to a quick answer, or the results differing noticeably across different phrasings in the group.

Google’s guidelines describe a similar situation as queries with multiple intents: different people want different things from the same query, and that’s normal. Distinguish this from ambiguity. An ambiguous query covers different topics under one word, like [apple]. Mixed intent is one topic but different tasks: learn, choose, buy.

The dominant format, and one page or two

The first rule is to go by the dominant format. If the top results are mostly catalog pages with a few articles, the main answer is a category page. The adjacent task can be covered on the same page with a section or a link to an article.

Two pages are justified only if both conditions hold:

• the tasks have different goals: for example, some people want to understand the topic, others want to choose and buy;
• both page types consistently appear in the results, across different phrasings in the group.

In every other case, one page is enough. Don’t create a «just in case» page for a secondary type: it will compete with the main page for the same queries.

Which page type fits each intent

The type of intent points to a page type. The table below is our working scheme, not a search engine rule; make the final call based on the search results.

Intent	What the person wants to get	Suitable page type	Signal in the search results
Informational, short answer	A definition or a fact	An article with the answer up top, a glossary entry	Quick answer, dictionary entries, short articles
Informational, broad	Understand the topic, learn how to do something	An article, a guide	Articles, guides, videos
Commercial	Compare options and choose	A comparison, a roundup; a catalog category with filters	Reviews, roundups, catalog pages
Transactional (product)	Buy a specific item	A product page or category	Product pages, product blocks with prices
Transactional (service)	Order the work	A service page	Company and service pages
Navigational	Reach a known site or service	Homepage, brand page, login page, contacts	The official site at the top of the results
Local	Visit a physical address	A page with an address, a map and business hours	A map with local listings
Broad, with several subtasks	An overview of the topic plus a path to detail	A hub and subpages	Different page types for different refinements

When you need a hub, not a single page

A hub is an overview section that briefly describes a topic and links out to subpages. You need one when a broad query breaks into several independent subtasks, each with its own search results. The hub answers the general question, the subpages answer the specific ones.

If the subtasks are minor and the search results don’t show separate pages for them, you don’t need a hub: one page with sections is enough. Link the hub and its subpages in both directions, so both the person and the search engine can see the connection.

Choosing the page type leads to the rule «one intent, one address.» If two pages on a site compete for the same task, they get in each other’s way — this is called cannibalization. Once the page type is chosen, the next step is the content itself: how to structure page copy once the type is already chosen is covered separately. For how we build content around a query’s task, see the service page.

When a page doesn’t match the intent: signs and what to do

Signs of a mismatch

• The search results for your target query show a different page type than yours: for example, the results are articles, but your page is a service page.
• The page doesn’t show up for the queries you need, even though the query’s words are in the text.
• For the query, the search engine shows a different page from your own site.
• The page tries to both explain the topic and sell at the same time, and does neither well.

Query data is available in the search engines’ own panels. In Yandex Webmaster, the «Managing search query groups» tool (Yandex’s counterpart of the Search Console Performance report, broken down by query groups) shows which queries a site’s pages appear for in search and which pages appear for those queries. The Performance report in Google Search Console shows which queries a site appears for and lets you look at data by individual page. Still check any conclusion about a mismatch against the actual search results.

What to do: update the page, change its type, create a separate page, or don’t target the query

Signal	Decision	What to check before acting
The page type matches the search results, but the top results are more thorough	Update the page	Which subtopics and formats are missing compared with the top results
The top results show a different page type, and the query matters to the business	Change the page type: for example, turn an article into a roundup, or a landing page into a category page	Whether the page would lose other queries it already ranks for
The page covers two tasks with different page types in the results	Move the second task to a separate page	Whether the second task has consistent results and demand; whether such a page already exists on the site
The top results for the query are page types you don’t have and won’t build (for example, marketplaces or dictionaries)	Don’t target the query with this page	Whether related queries have a suitable intent
A different page of yours shows up for the query	Decide which page should answer the task	Whether the pages are splitting the same queries

Decisions about an existing query map — create, update, merge, or don’t create — are covered in the article on the keyword map: decisions about the query map: create, update, merge, or don’t create. Merging pages and redirecting from the old address is a separate decision, made about existing pages after review.

If it’s unclear which pages many query groups need, that’s a site structure question. In that case, a review of a site’s keyword research and structure against intent can help.

Search volume is not intent: high-, medium- and low-volume queries

Queries are often split into high-volume, medium-volume and low-volume groups based on how many times a query is searched over a period. This split describes the amount of demand, not the user’s task. The same intent shows up at any volume level: judging by the wording, both the short «buy laminate» and the long «buy gray oak class 33 laminate» point to one task — buying.

The boundaries between these groups aren’t universal, and two Yandex sources disagree here. The Yandex Direct article says there’s no clear-cut scale and it all depends on the niche. The Yandex Advertising article gives numeric boundaries for the groups, while noting that the split is approximate. We don’t treat the numbers as a norm: a query that’s high-volume in a narrow niche can turn out to be low-volume in a mass-market topic.

The volume of the same query can change by season, region, and platform. The article on the keyword map covers what search volume in Yandex Wordstat actually shows and why it isn’t the same as traffic.

Common mistakes

• Judging intent from the query’s words alone, without checking the results. Words like «buy» or «what is» are a hint, not proof.
• Building a commercial page for informational results, or the other way around. If the top results are articles, a service page is unlikely to rank for that query.
• Creating a page for every intent type «just in case.» A second page with the same task will compete with the first.
• Confusing search volume with intent. The amount of demand doesn’t tell you which page is needed.
• Treating the rater classification as the ranking algorithm. It’s a guide for human raters; their ratings don’t directly affect which pages are shown.
• Not rechecking intent when the search results change. A query’s meaning can shift over time.

Frequently asked questions

Can intent be determined from words like «buy,» «price,» «what is»?

Those words are a hint, not proof. A query without the word «buy» can be fully commercial, and «what is» sometimes shows up next to product blocks. Check the search results — following the steps in «How to read intent from the search results.»

How is commercial intent different from transactional intent?

In the Yandex Advertising article, commercial intent is when the person has identified a need and is choosing a solution, while transactional intent is when the decision is essentially made and only the action is left. Put simply: commercial is «I’m choosing,» transactional is «I’m buying or ordering.»

Does every intent type need its own page?

No. A page is needed for the task the search results actually confirm. If one format consistently dominates the results, one page of that type is enough; cover the adjacent task with a section or a link.

Does the intent classification in Google’s rater guidelines affect ranking?

Not directly. Google states that raters’ ratings don’t directly affect how a page or site is shown in search; they help assess how well the systems are performing. The classification is useful as a way of thinking about users’ tasks.

Can intent be determined without special tools?

Yes. It’s enough to open the search results for the right region, look at the page types and the SERP features, and draw a conclusion. Tools speed up the work when you have a large number of queries, but their output is still worth checking against the actual search results.